Kinetoscope.



A. G. ROEBUOK.

KINETOSOOPE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 25, 1910.

Patented Sept 8, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVAH C. ROEBUCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ENTERPRISE OPTICAL MFG. COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

' xmsroscors.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented s ta, 1912.

' Application filed May 25, I910. SeriaI No. 563,438.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALvAH C. ROEBUCK, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Kinetoscopes, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to kinetoscopes 0f the intermittent film feeding type, and has for its object to provide a simple and ellieient structural formation and arrangement of the film tensioning mechanism of the apparatus whereby, a uniform and extended resilient contact of the lateral pressure mem her or shoes against the film is attained, with the resulting advantages of an avoidance of uneven wear of the guide ribs of the aperture plate, as well as the liability of damage to the sprocket holes in the film due to excessive tension necessary where short surface contact is had. \Vith such uniform and extended tensioning contact the stoppage of the film in unison with the stoppage of the intermittent sprocket wheel, is insured, and any tendency of the teeth of the sprocket wheel to jump the sprocket holes of the film is eliminated, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings 2-Figure l, is a-detail rear elevation illustrating'the general arrangement of the present invention and its relation to the frame or housing of a kinetoscope. Fig. 2, is an enlarged detail vertical section on line w-w, Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section on line 00m, Fig. 1. Fig. at, isa perspective view of one of the pressure members or shoes, detach ed.

Fig. 5, is a detached perspective view of the spring member of the pressure members or shoes.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in the several views. 7

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the film gate pivotally attached" to the rear side of the kinetoscope frame or housing 2, by vertical pivot knuckles 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Said film gate ispreferably formed of a main plate and an auxiliary plate 4 arranged in separated relation to provide a cavity for the usual safety or automatic fire shutter 5, preferably of the construction set forth in my Patent No. 1,006,406, dated Oct. 17, 19ll.

(3 is a flanged idler drum or pulley ournaled on the upper end of the film gate 1, and forming a guide for the picture film as it passes down past the usual light aperture 7 1n the gate 1, and the corresponding light aperture of the kinetoscope housing 2.

8 are vertical guide ribs on the usual aperture plate of the kinetoscope housing, and arranged at the respective sides of the aperture thereof and adapted to provide bearings for the margins. of the picture film in its movement past the aforesaid light aperture.

9 are counterpart pressure members or shoes mounted on the gate 1 in manner here- .inafter described in detail, and in opposed relation to the aforesaid guide ribs 8 and adapted to bear against the margins of the film and press the same with some tension against the guide ribs 8 aforesaid. Said shoes are preferably of a U shape in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3, and areprovided with curved upper and lower ends, and in adjacent relation to said'ends with rearwardly projecting ears 10 which fit and have sliding movement in orifices formed therefor in the main plate of the film door 1. The rear and free ends of the ears 10 are formed with notches 11 in which engage the free ends of thespring members now to be described.

12 is a spring member of an open center rectangular form, and secured midway of its vertical height to the film gate 1 by attaching screws 13 in symmetrical relation to the light aperture of the same. The upper and lower horizontal portions of said spring member are formed with horizontal V shaped bearing projections 14, adapted to have bearing engagement in the notches 11. of the guide cars 10 aforesaid, with a tendency to force the shoes'9 toward-the guide ribs 8 and frictionally hold the margins of the film against said ribs, the full vertical length of the shoes. Said spring member is preferably of a single pieceof spring metal as shown, but when so 'desired may be of a sectional construction, with the sections having the same points of attachment, as the single piece-construction above described. The described construction of a spring member and pair of counterpart bearing'shoes affords'a construction in which freeindependent movement of either shoe may take place to permit the passage of a patch at one side of the film without disturbing the normal condition of the other quent-ly pulled apart at thetsplices.

and kin'etoscope housing. pivotally secured to the film gate 1 by a. pivot'screw 16 passing through an orifice near its margimand is adapted to swing i 15 is an outer protecting shield preferably of a circular plate form and having a central aperture corresponding with the before described light apertures of the film gate Said shield is from its normal position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, into a depending position shown in full lines in said Fig. 1, to render the film tension mechanism accessible when changes or adjustments are required.

17 is ahorizontal studsecured to the film gate 1 in substantially diametricrelation to the before described pivot screw 16, and carrying at its outer end a headed screw 18 adapted to engage in an elongated orifice 19 formed therefor in the protecting shield 15, and when so e'ngagedto hold the shield in the normal position above described.

Having thus fully described my said invention whatl claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a kinetoscope frame having a light aperture and guide ribs at the side of said aperture, a film gate formed with a light aperture, a pair of counterpart bearing shoes arranged at the sides of the light aperture of said gate and movably attached to the gate, and vertical spring members secured to the gate at the sides of the light opening of the same and connected together at top and bottom by horizontal connecting members which are common-to and have engagement with the upper and lower portions of the shoes, substantially as set forth. I

2. The combination of a kinetoscope frame having a light aperture and guide ribs at the side of said aperture, a filmgate. formed with a light aperture, a pair of counterpart bearing shoes arranged at the sides of thr light aperture of said gate and movably attached to the gate, and a spring member of a rectangular open form, common to both shoes and having engagement with the upper and lower portions of the shoes, substair tially as set forth.

i 3. The combination of a kinet'oscope frame having a lightaperture and guide ribs at :the side of said aperture, a tum gate formed ,with a light aperture, a pair of counterpart bearing shoes arranged at the sides of the ilight aperture of said gate and formed with upper and lower guide ears which move in orifices in the film gate, and a spring member common to both shoes and having en 5 gagement with the guide ears aforesaid, substantially as set forth.

having a light aperture and guide ribs at 4-. The combination of a kinetoscope frame the side of said aperture, a film gate formed .with a light aperture, a pair of counterpart bearing shoes arranged at the sides of the light aperture of said gate and formed with upper and lower guide ears which move in orifices in the film gate and are formed with jnotches, and a single spring member common to both 'shoes and having engagement E with the aforesaid notches of the guide ears,

substantially as set forth.

5. 'l he combinationof a lrinetoscope frame having a light aperture and guide ribs atthe side of said aperture, a'filmgate formed with a light aperture, a pair of counterpart bearing shoes arranged at the sides of the vlight aperture of said gate and formed with upper and lower guide ears which move in lorifices in the film gate and formed with notches, and a single spring member of a rectangular open center form and having V shaped projections at its respective ends for engagement in the aforesaid notches of the guide ears, substantially as set forth.

Signedfat Chicago, Illinois, this 21st day of May, 1910.

' ALVAH G. RQEBUCK.

Witnesses Bonner Bonus, HENRY Mdifl. 

